Device for simulating motor sounds



Nov. 22, 1966 J. w. RYAN 3,286,395

DEVICE FOR SIMULATING MOTOR SOUNDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April l2, 1965 rfa/m/f Nov. 22, 1966 J, w, RYAN 3,286,395

DEVICE FOR SIMULATING MOTOR SOUNDS Filed April l2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIA/raf al# M Mw Nov. 22, 1966 J. w. RYAN 3,286,395

DEVICE FOR SIMULATINGMOTOR SOUNDS Filed April l2. 1965 `4 Sheets-Sheet 5 WWW/? Nov. 22, 1966 J. W. RYAN 3,286,395

DEVICE FOR SIMULATINO MOTOR SOUNDS Filed April 12, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i f77/M4675 United States Patent O DEVICE FOR SIMULATING MOTOR SOUNDS John W. Ryan, Bel Air, Calif., assignor to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 447,484 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-192) This application is a continuation-in-part of -a copending application led October 2, 1963,y under Serial No. 313,285 by the applicant herein, now Patent No. 3,236,008. In general, the present invention relates to a device for simulating motor sounds. More specically, the present invention relates to a device adapted to emit, when operated, sounds closely corresponding to the sounds of an internal combustion motor.

ln said co-pending application Serial No. 313,285 it was noted that, in the past, there have been many toy vehicles having devices mounted therein to simulate a motor sound. One `conventional device which has been employed involves a reed xed at one end and extending free at another end but engaged with a rotating gear wheel so that the reed is vibrated to emit sounds. However, such prior art motor sound devices customarily emitted very high-pitched uniform sounds which were far removed from the ordinary internal combustion motor sound of vehicles such as trucks and cars, whose motor sound is customarily low-pitched and usually includes a cyclic variation of sound. Furthermore, the usual prior art motor sound device involved a substantial period of Contact between the portion ofthe device emitting the sound and the portion of the device actuating the sound emitter. Thus, a considerable portion of the vibrational energy was lost and the resulting sound device was relatively ineiicient. Also, prior art motor sound devices usually utilized direct contact between the sound emitter and the actuator for the sound emitter in such a manner that stresses and strains were put on the sound emitter which did not contribute to the volume of the sound being emitted. Consequently, the `usual prior art device has a relatively short life because of the intense strains and stresses being put on the second emitter apart from the function of emitting sound.

Some of these short cornings have been effectively solved by said co-pending application Serial No. 313,285 wherein the device for simulating motor sounds was operated by either pushing a toy vehicle along a suitable surface or by means of an electric motor. Others of these short comings have been effectively solved by the devices disclosed in applicants co-pending application Serial No. 340,002 iiled January 24, 1964 and by the device disclosed in applicants Patent No. 3,160,984, both of which included electric motor means for actuating the device. While generally satisfactory, these devices which include electric motor means have the common disadvantage that the storage batteries which are used to supply stored energy to operate the devices must be periodically replaced. Another disadvantage resides in the fact that battery operated devices have a comparatively high initial cost and are difficult to maintain in an operable condition.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of devices for simulating motor sounds, it is -a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful device for simulating motor sounds not subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having manually operated means especially designed for strong energy and for operating the device eiciently, safely and economically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which includes flywheel means so that the device may be operated for a relatively long period of time after it is started manually.

It is another object of the present invention to provide Mice a motor sound device adapted to produce an instantaneous, sharp impact between the sound emitter and the actuator for the sound emitter to minimize the damping of the sound emitter.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a motor sound device wherein the sound emitter may be protected from direct contact with the actuator for the sound emitter and thus relieved of unusual stresses and strains.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for simulating motor sounds wherein the intensity of the sound or other variation in the sound may be simply achieved.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for simulating motor sounds adapted to vary the intensity of the sound emitted without necessarily requiring a variation in the rate of operation of the actuating portion of the sound device.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device for simulating motor sounds which is adapted to vary the sound emitted simply by regulating the relative positions of the various portions of the sound device.

Another object of the present invention is to incorporate in a toy vehicle a device for simulating motor sounds including a combined impeller-ywheel means which is driven by gear means connected to one of the vehicles axles, or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for simulating motor sounds which may be operated manually by a user of the device by stroking an actuating lever to store energy in a flywheel which continues to energize a rotary member for imparting blows to a resonator means, adapted to emit a motor sound lwhen struck for a relatively long period of time after stroking of the actuating lever hasterminated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide y a motor sound device of the type described having a new ,and useful friction clutch adapted to achieve a gradual cernber 9, 1964, and which is also a continuation-in-part of said Iapplication Serial No. 313,285, the special analysis of the sound produced by a typical automobile engine indicates that, for optimum reproduction, the maximum energy contained in the spectrum should be below approximately 2,500 c.p.s. However, in an automobile engine and in a system for simulating motor sounds, the frequency of the sound alone is insufcient to deline` a reasonable simulation of a motor sound. The spectrum should be one in which a broad sweep of frequencies is indescriminately produced without sharply dened and well-separated peaks. Sharply dened and well separated peaks produce a musical sound like a low-pitched horn or bell. When such peaks do not exist, a noise results and, if the noise is in a relatively low frequency range, it simulates a motor sound.

The devices for simulating motor sounds of the present invention inclu-de Isystems which are shock-excited with a lot of resonance. This shock-exciting is done repetitively, without necessarily having a aixed period. The exciting of the system is done in -a free mode. This means the system is simply shocked; it is lnot rigidly coupled to a ldriving means. Thus, the present invention primarily relates to vibratile systems in which there is not a rigid coupling and direct drive of the resonator.

Vibratile systems which are capable of producing sound within the frequency .franges which `characterize the noise produced by internal combustion engines may, within broad limits, be made of many different types of materials Whether a single compound, such as polyethylene, or an extremely complex mix-ture of compounds, such as cardboard. The material may be homogeneous, laminate, or randomly discontinuous, such as chipboar-d. Also, the material may be solid, porous or of varying density and cross sec-tion, such as a woven or pressed fiber structure like fiberb-oard.

Such vibratile systems may also be made with alnisot any geometry. For example, a cone, a plane disc and a cup with substantially cylindrical side walls may be employed. These chan-ges in geometry have a marked effect on the resonance characteristics of the system. The same mass of the same material reacts differently acoustically if it is shaped as a cone or cup rather than as a flat disc.

Similarly, the same object will react quite differently aooustically if it is mounted differently. A compliant mounting, in which the object is held loosely and flexibly, will cause it to have different resonance characteristics from a mounting in which it is held rigidly at some one point. The natural -or resonant -frequency of a vibratile system is the basic frequency at which it resonates in response to shock excitation. Although it is difficult to -measure this with great precision, it is a characteristic of the system and usually can be discerned on a spectral analysis of the sound produced by the system as the lowest-frequency substantial peak produced -by the system. For example, the spectral analysis of certain toy motor unit cones show a number of peaks, with the last major peak in the vicinity of 2,500 c.p.s. Thus the bulk of the acoustic energy produced in simulation of a motor soun-d should be below 2,500 c.p.s. The natural or resonant frequency of that same c-one, however, is about 250 or 350 cycles. Repeated shock excitation of a v-ibratile system thus may produce the bulk of the energy at frequencies well above the natural or resonant frequency of the particular resonator employed. v

The characteristics of vibratile :systems which :are capable of producing motor sounds may be defined in terms of the stiffness of the system. The natural or resonant frequency o-f the system is defined by the equation f l [stiffness 21r mass Stiffness is measured `in dynes per centimeter; mass is a high pitch; a heavy brass bell may have an extremely low pitch. This formula makes it possible to `define a physical charactertistic of the vibratile .systems-their stiffness-which is a necessary Condit-ion for any system within a range :of weigh-ts that is practical for toy use (e.'g., 1/10 gram to t100 grams) which is capable of producing a reasonable simula-tion of a motor sound. However, this necessary condition is not in and of itself a sufficient condition; it still must be qualifiedie., the system must be of a size and nature normal and practical for a toy. With such .a limitation, the more eXtre-me combinations of characteristics are eliminated (eg, lan extremely tiny disc of very small mass Iand very high stiffness, which will produce sounds within the proper frequencies, but which will be inaudible or nearly inaudible and may have a more nearly musical distribution of peaks rather than the noise-like distribution which is preferred to simulate a motor sound).

A second limiting factor is that the characteristic im- `pedance of the vibratile system is defined by the equation Z=\/ (mass) (stiffness) wherein mass is measured in grams, stiffness in dynes per centimeter, and the impedance provides a numerical value in grams per second. The impedance is a measure of the efficiency of the system; ie., the eff-ort required to produce sound from it. If the i-mpedance is very high, the system is impr-actically inefficient. This equation supports the fact that the use of an extremely stiff system feg., an ordinary metal bell) which is so heavy that its natural frequency is with-in the desired range, is impractical for a toy because of the ,great weight required t-o attain this and the energy required to excite the system. It is also eliminated because of the necessary condition that the spectrum produced by such 4a system be one in which there are not clearly defined and well-separated peaks, producing a musical sound rather than a noise.

Investigation of these matters has resulte-d in the conclusion that a stiffness between 104 and 108 dynes per centimeter is the range within which `a practical toy device to simulate motor sounds can be made. These limits of stiffness, applied to systems weighing between 1/10 gram and grams, produced natural frequencies I(within the limits of practicality discussed above) which are in the range preferred to produce a motor sound. The more extreme combinations of high mass and low stiffness, and low mass with high stiffness, have to be omitted. For example, a 100 gram system with a stiffness of 101 (whi-ch would be something like a very heavy, -oppy, loose piece of rubber) is quite impractical, producing a natural frequency of about 11/2 cycles per second. The extreme combination of a stiffness of 108 and a weight of V10 gram, which would be something like a very tiny disc of hard plastic or soft metal, produces a ifrequency which is far too high-well above 5,000 cycles per second. Taking the more reasonable combinations, even at the outer limits of the ranges, `such as a stiffness of 104 and a weight of 1/10 gram (producing a natural reasonance of 50 cycles per second), or a stiffness of 108 and a weight of 100 grams (producing a natural frequency of cycles) the range of 104 to 108 stiffness demonstrates that by using the more stiff systems with -g-reater masses or the less stiff systems with lesser masses within the ranges of mass and stiffness, that |104 to 108 `dynes per centimeter are the outer limits of stiffness which may be utilized effectively in toys to simulate motor sounds.

The following chart is a listing of 21 different sorts of vi-bratile systems, ranging from bicycle bells t-o toy mot-or sound cones and flat plates :of lpolyethylene, paper, cardboard, styrene, brass, steel and rubber:

Type of Resonator Material t t- Mass (eps.)

stiffness (dynes/em.)

Bell #1 Bell #2. Bell #3. Bell #4. Engine cone Racer cone. Voice unit cone. .5 tmil flat plate,

.5 mil flat plate,

tight.

9 mil fiat plate,

free.

24 mil flat plate,

free.

6 mil flat plate,

tight.

Paper Cardboard P.E Cardboard.

Styrene D0 24 mil fiat plate,

free. 15 mil fiat plate,

free. 5 mil dat plate,

free. 2 mil flat plate,

free. 8 mil flat plate,

tight. 60 mil at plate,

tree.

Brass.

Steel Rubber.

Styrene 10. 2

*Polyethylene.

For each of the above systems, some of which were mounted -freely and other of which were moun-ted rather tightly, the .mass was determined and the natural frequency was determined. The stiifnesses were then computed and, as can be seen, all the practical simula-tions of a motor sound fell within the stinesses between approximately 104 and 108. The measurements of the frequencies recorded in the table are approximations which are accurate to -th-e rst digit. The list shows that practical weights of very stiff m-etals (such as bicycle bells with stiifnesses in the range of 109), produ-ced natural resonances above 1,000 cycles per second. In order to obtain .a system where repetitive shock-excitation produces a noise wherein the bulk of the noise is below 2,500 cps., the natural frequency of the resonator should be lbelow 1,000 -c.p.s. Thus, steel bells were not satisfactory. An extremely light and thin dis-c of polyethylene, with a stiffness below 104 did produce a natural frequency of 25 cycles per second (which -might conceivably simulate a motor sound), but such a tiny disc is much too fragile t-o be practical Ifor a toy.

In general, the present invention involves a device for simulating motor sounds having a vibratile system includin-g resonator means which is adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an internal combustion engine wh-en subjected to repetitive shock-excitation. R-otatably mounted adjacent the resonator means are means for subjecting the resonator means to the repetitive shockexcitation. Manually operated drive means lare provided for rotating the rotary member. In one embodiment of the invention, a crank lever is .actuated manually to operate the rotary member and a unique friction clutch is provided for achieving a gradual acceleration of a -gear train and the rotary member with fast, uniform operation of the crank lever at the very start. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the rotary mem-ber is driven by the rear axle of a toy vehicle when the toy is pushed along the oor by a user of the toy.

In each embodiment of the invention, a iiyw-heel is used to store energy and transfer means are mounted between the rotary member and the resonator means for transferring the repetitive shock-excitation from the rotary member to the resonator mean-s. The rotary member of each embodiment is driven with sufficient angular velocity to shock-excite the resonator means with `a lot of res-onance.

Each resonator means may have a conical shape and may have a stiffness between approximately 104 to 108 dynes per centimeter yfor a mass of .from 1/10 to 1010' grams. The cone is suspended within a frame in such a manner as `t-o produce its desired low frequency resonance with the mass of the c-one used. The cone has an amplitude capability within the stress limits of the material used, thereby permitting production of a high level of lowvfrequency energy.

The mass of and the type of material employed in both the rotary member and the resonator means is such that undamped resonance are minimized and so that the output from the resonator means has a spectrum 4containing a maximum of energy in frequencies below approximately 2,500 c.p.s.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device for simulating motor sounds constituting a rst embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial, cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 2 with the parts rotated degrees and with the speaker portion of the device removed for clarity;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a reduced elevational view of the gear train shown in FIGURE4, with parts broken away to show internal construction, showing the relative position of the parts at one stage of operation;

FIGURE 10 is a View similar to FIGURE 9 showing the relative position of the parts during another stage of operation;

FIGURE 11 is an elevational view of modified clutch for use in the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of a toy auto containing a motor sound device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged, cross-sectional View of a portion of FIGURE 12, taken along the lines 13--13 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a cross-sectional View of FIGURE 13, taken along the lines 14-14 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 13, taken along the lines 15-15 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 16 is a partially broken-away perspective view of a portion of FIGURE 15.

Referring again to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1-10, a device for simulating motor sounds constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, includes a resonator means 12 which is mounted in a suitable housing, indicated diagrammatically at 14, adjacent a rotary member 16. The rotary member 16 is rotatably mounted in the housing 14 by a frame' member 18. A transfer means 20 is swingably mounted on the frame 18 between the resonator means 12 and the rotary member 16 for transferring repetitive shock-excitation from the rotary member 16 to the resonator means 12. The rotary member 16 is given rotation by a manually operated crank means or system 22 and is given uniform motion by a flywheel means 24.

The crank means 22 is rotatably mounted between a pair of side plates 18a and 18h, which areconnected together by a plurality of bolts 18C to form the frame 18, and includes a gear sector 26 having a plurality of teeth 28 and a crank lever 30 provided on its periphery. The gear 26 includes an axle 32 which is journalled in hollow bosses 34 provided on the plates 18a and 18h and is normally maintained in the position shown in FIGURE l by a return spring 36 which encompasses onel boss 34 arid has a first arm 38 bearing against a rst lug 40 provided on the gear 26 and a second arm 42 bearing against a second lug 44 provided on the side plate 18a. The side plates 18a and 18b may be advantageously made by injection-molding techniques employing an acetal-resin. The gear sector 26 may be made of an acetal-resin, and the teeth 28 are preferably comparatively broad and deep to take the load placed thereon by crank 30.

The crank means 22 also includes a cluster gear 46 having a large-diameter gear 48, a small diameter gear 50 and an axle 52. The axle 52 is both rotatably and slidably mounted in a pair of hollow, elliptically shaped bosses 454 forming openings in the side plates 18a and 18b. The bosses 54 are oriented with respect to the crank means 22 in such a manner that the small diameter gear 50 meshes with the teeth 28 of sector 26 regardless of the position of the axle 52 within the bosses 54 and so that the large diameter gear 48 will only mesh with a small diameter gear 56, which forms part of the crank means 22 and which is carried by the rotary member 16 for imparting rotation thereto, when the shaft 52 is moved to the upper ends 58 of the bosses 54 by the action of teeth 28 driving gear 50 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, and will be moved to the lower ends 60 of the bosses 54 when the sector 26 is rotated in a clockwise direction by return spring 36. Thus, the rotary member 16 is'free to rotate without interference from the gear 46 and the sector 26 during periods of inactivity of the crank lever 30. The cluster gear 46 is preferably made of a metal such as zinc, to withstand the stresses imparted thereto by the gear 26.

The flywheel 24 includes a flywheel portion 62 which may be conveniently made of a metal as dinstinguished from a lighter material, such as plastic, and which includes an integral spindle 64 rotatably mounting the flywheel d portion 62 in the frame 18 (FIGURE 5) by having an end 66 of spindle 64 journalled in the side plate 18b and by having an end 68 of the spindle 64 journalled in the side plate 18a. The flywheel means 24 includes also a suitable friction-clutch means, such as a clutch 70, which is rotatably mounted lon the spindle 64 and which includes a gear 72 at one end and a plurality of flexible lingers '74 at its other end. The lingers 74 are preferably made from a tough, flexible material, such as poly-formaldehyde. The fingers 74 extend generally radially from the center line or major axis of the clutch 70 and are curved away from a true radius in a direction opposite the direction in which the clutch 70 will be rotated through means to be hereinafter described. The clutch 70 is an important feature of the invention because it permits achieving a gradual acceleration of the flywheel 62 with a fast uniform operation of the crank lever 30 while minimizing the strain on the crank means 22 during a starting operation. The lingers 74 are engageable with a plurality of inwardly-protruding lugs 76 provided on the inner surface 78 of the flywheel portion 62. The gear 72 is permanently meshed with a large-diameter gear 80 provided on the rotary member 16 so that rotation of the member 16 will cause the clutch 70 to rotate. When the crank means 22 is given a rapid cranking action with the flywheel means 24 at rest, the fingers 74 yield by bending further away from a true radius. The lingers 74 are constantly flexed as they are forced over the lugs 76, thereby providing a friction clutch effect. As the speed of the ilywheel portion 62 increases, the inertial resistance decreases and with a few strokes of the lever 30, one finger 74 locks against one lug 76, as shown in FIGURE 4, and direct drive is achieved. Only one finger 74 can bear against a lug 76 at one time because the fingers '74 are disposed angularly in a different relationship than the lugs 76.

Alternatively, the flywheel means 24 may be modilied as shown at 24a in FIGURE 11 wherein the flywheel portion 62a includes lugs 76a which are disposed angularly in the same relationship as the fingers 74a of the clutch '70a so that all three lingers 74a can bear against the associated lugs 76a at one time when direct drive is achieved. The FIGURE 1l configuration of the clutch 70a requires lighter and more flexible lingers than the FIGURE 4 Configuration of the clutch 70.

The rotary member 16 is rotatably mounted in the frame 18 by an axle 82 (FIGURE 6) having a first end 84 journaled in the side plate 18a and a second end 86 journaled in the side plate 18a and a second end 86 journaled in the side plate 18b. The rotary member 16 is provided with striker means 88 adapted to shock-excite the resonator means 12 repetitively through the transfer means by imparting a cyclic series of blows to the transfer means 20 when the rotary member 16 is rotated by the crank means 22. The striker means 88 includes a series of shallow, radially-extending grooves 90 disposed near the outer periphery thereof and a series of deeper, radially-extending grooves 92 disposed near the inner periphery thereof. The grooves 92 are progressively deeper from their outer extremity 92a to their inner edge 92b adjacent the inner periphery of the member 16, as shown in FIGURE 6. The grooves 92 are Vshaped, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, and are non-uniformly spaced about the member 16 and are generally much further apart than the grooves 90. Also, the grooves 92 have a shoulder 92C at their leading edges and a valley portion 92d which slopes upwardly from the base of the shoulder 92C to the surface of member 16. The closely spaced grooves are adapted to produce a siren sound and the grooves 92 are adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an internal combustion engine by subjecting the resonator means 12 to repetitive shock-excitation, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 6, the resonator means 12 includes a flexible cone 94 mounted in a cone ring 96 which is suitably supported Within the housing means 14. The cone 94 includes a corrugated portion 9S adjacent the ring 96 to increase the flexibility of the cone 94 and is provided with a hollow, cylindrical sleeve 100. A hollow-cylindrical piston 102 is slideably mounted in the sleeve 100 and forms a portion of the transfer means 20. The piston 102 includes an encompassing side Wall 104, a closed bottom wall 106 and an upper, annular flange 108. The bottom wall 186 is biased into engagement with a tone arm 11i), which also forms a part of the transfer means 20, by a spring 112 having a lirst end 114 seated on the bottom wall 106 inside the piston 102 and a second end 116 encompassing a pin 118 which depends from a spider 120 forming a portion of the cone ring 96. The spider 120 includes a plurality of arms 122 having ends 124 rigidly afiixed to the ring 96.

Although a number of different types and sizes of cones 94 will manifest thermselves, a cone approximately 2% inches in diameter and -1/2 inch deep, which has a wall thickness of approximately 15 millimeters and which is made from a cellulose acetate butyral having a mass of 1.6 grams and a stiffness of 4.0 l0G dynes per centimeter has been found to be satisfactory. Such a cone has a natural frequency of approximately 250 c.p.s. which is low enough to permit it to respond with a lot of resonance to shock-excitation by the striker means 88.I The end support of the cone 94 in cone ring 96 is such that low frequency resonance is obtainable with the mass of the cone used. In addition, the cone 94 has satisfactory amplitude capabilities with material stress limits which permit production of a high level of low-frequency energy. When excited by the grooves 92 of the present invention, the output from the cone 94 has an acoustical spectrum containing a maximum of energy in the lower frequencies, i.e., below approximately 2,500 c.p.s. However, when the cone 94 is excited by the grooves 90, the output from the cone 94 has an acoustical spectrum containing suflicient energy in the higher frequencies to produce a high-pitched siren sound.

The tone arm 110 includes a firs-t end 126 which carries a cylindrical member 128 having its major axis lyi-n-g at right angles to the major axis of the tone arm 110. The cylindrical member 128 is provided with a counter bore 136 at fone end and a spherical ball 132 yat its 'other end. The tone arm 110 also includes a second end 134 which carries a stirrup portion 136 (FIGURE 4). The stirrup portion 136 is pivotally connected tto an adjusting lever 138 by a pair of pins 140` provided thereon so that the ball 132 may be pivoted into engagement with the rotary member 16. The adjusting lever 138 is swingably mounte-d in the frame 18 by a rpivot pin 142 and includes a handle portion 144 which may be actuated to swing the tone arm 110 about the pivot pin 142 to position the ball 132 selectively over the grooves 90 or the ygrooves 92 without interfering with the pivoting action of the tone arm 110 about the pins 140. The handle portion 144 is connected lto a plate 145 which is provided with a detent means Ior pin 146 which is engageable with a plurality of teeth 148 provided in an arcuate slo-t 150 on the side plate 18a to maintain the lever 138 in an adjusted position. The pivotal connection provided by the stirrup 136 and thepins 140 is an important feature of the present invention because it permits better control of the weight which is being vertically displaced by the grooves 90 than could be obtained in the case where the tone arm 110 and lever 138 constitute a single, flexible element lpivoted intermediate its ends. It has been found that a one-piece construction for the tone arm 110 and the lever 13S results in a unit which is too heavy for use in riding over the closely spaced grooves 90 which produce the high-pitched siren sound.

Operation of the device will be readily understood. When it is desired to produce a siren-type sound, the handle 144 may be `grasped and manipulated to position the ball 132 on the `grooves 90 near the inner periphery 90b thereof, as shown in FIGURE 4, or near the outer periphe-ry 90a thereof, depending upon the type of sound desired. By varying the position of the ball 132, the number of impulses per complete rotation of the rotary member 16 is unchanged, but the individual impulses are changed. For example, if the ball 132 is moved radially outwardly -t-oward the periphery 90a, the velocity at which the ball 132 is shocked by the 'grooves 90 is increased proportionately so that a sharper impulse is caused and thus a sharper sound. Similarly, if the ball 132 is moved radially inwardly toward the inner periphery 90b, the resulting impulse is softer and the resulting :sound is softer.

If it is desired t-o simulate motor sounds, the ball 132 is positioned on grooves 92. Positioning the ball 132 at the shallow portion 92a results in `a softer sound than that obtained by positioning the 4ball 132 at the deeper portion 92b because the shallower portions 92a impart less shock to the ball 132. The rotary member 16 moves to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 8, so that the ball 132 will suddenly drop to the base of shoulder 92C and then ride back up to the surface of member 16 on the sloping valley 92d. This permits the ball 132 to transfer an impulse to the cone 94 which shock-excites it with a lot of resonance without placing undue st-rains on the ball 132 and the parts co-acting therewith.

After the ball 132 is positioned as desired, the lever 30 may :be pulled upwardly causing the gear sector 26 to be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 10, so that the gear 50 will rotate in a counter clockwise direction causing the gear 46 to move upwardly within the slots 54 until its teeth 48 engage the Igear 56 to thereby rotate the rotary member 16 in a clockwise direction. The rotary member 16 causes the clutch 70 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction and slip with respect to the flywheel portion 62 during the initial, rapid acceleration of the rotary member 16. When the `rotary member 16 reaches a uniform speed, one iin-ger 74 will lock to 'a lug 76 effecting a direct drive connection with the flywheel portion 62. The lever 30 may be stroked several times until the desired speed of member 16 is obtained. Stroking .may then be discontinued whereupon the gear 46 will drop down t-o the ends 60 of slots 54 leaving the rotary member 116 free to rotate for a considerable length of time by virtue of the energy stored in the iiywheel means 24. v

Referring now to FIGURES 12-16, a motor sound device 230, constituting a second embodiment lof the present invention, may be mounted in a vehicle 220 such `as an automobile. The motor sound device includes a resonator 231 adapted to emit an internal combustion motor sound when struck. Mounted adjacent the resonator 231 is a bridge 240 adapted to move solely `substantially perpendicular to the resonator and 4to translate blows thereon to said resonator. Also, the motor sound device 230 includes 1a rotatably mounted impeller 250 having at least one lug 260 mounted on its periphery adapted to strike said bridge 240 during the rotation of said impeller 250 and drive means 270 f-or rotating said impeller.

The Vehicle 220 includes a body 221 with the motor sound device mounted therein. The body 2.21 is carried by the front axle (not shown) having wheels 222 mounted on its ends and a rear axle 223 having wheels 224 mounted on its ends. The body 221 is preferably made of a synthetic resin orplastic, as indicated by the cross-hatc-hmg employed in the drawings. Such materials have a comparatively low resonance frequency so that the body 221 may serve either as a resonance chamber when employed in conjunction with the resonator 231 or as a resonator by itself without using a cone 232.

Mounted within the body 221 is the m-otor sound device 230 having a resonator 231 adapted to emit an internal combustion motor sound when struck. The resonator 231 includes la flexible cone 232 mounted on ya frame 233 which is attached to the vehicle body 221. The cone 232 yhas a somewhat thinner cross-section 234 adjacentto the fname 233 to increase its iiexib-ility and has an apex plug 235 adjacent to the remaining portion of the motor sound device 236.

Although a number of different types and sizes of cones 232 will manifest themselves, la cone having the .approximate size and characteristics of the cone 94 described in connection with the first embodiment of the presen-t invention has been found to be satisfactory. The thinner cross-section 234 of the cone 232 not only serves as a damper for the cone, but also extends the life of the co-ne by permitting it to roll on the reduced cross-section there- |by reducing fatigue.

Mounted adjacent to the resonator 231 and perpendicularly to the apex plug 235 is a bridge 240 which is adapted to move solely substantially perpendicular to the resonator 231 and to translate blows thereon to the resonator 231. The bridge 240 includes a rigid strip 241 of tough material such as metal or plastic which is slidably mounted in grooves 242 in the frame 233 of the resonator 231 with the ends 243 of the strip 241 near the bottoms 244 of the grooves 242. Thus, strip 241 is adapted to slide perpendicular to the resonator 231 and is substantially restrained from sliding parallel to the resonator 231 so that the strip 241 will minimize side leads exerted on the cone 232 by the lugs 260.

The impeller 250 is rotatably mounted adjacent to the bridge 240 and has a plurality of lugs 260 spaced around its periphery adapted to strike the bridge 240 during the rotation of the impeller 250. The impeller 250 includes a spindle 251 having an upper reduced end 252 which is rotatably received in a socket 225 of the body 221. Similarly, the spindle 251 has a lower reduced end 253 which is rotatably received in a socket 254 of a case 255 which is mounted on a bridge 226 of the body 221. Mounted around the spindle 251 is a disc 256.

The lugs 260 are retractably mounted on the impeller 250 and are adapted to be extended to strike the bridge 240 by the centrifugal force exerted thereon by the rotation of the impeller 25) and to be retracted by their impact with said bridge. The lugs 260 include rings 261 loosely mounted on pivot pins 262 attached to the disc 256 of the impeller 250.

' The pivot pins 262 are preferably spaced about the disc 256 at random angles which are no less than 60 degrecs apart. The rings 261 have a carefully developed radial compliance designed to excite the cone 232 with a long impulse so that the output from the cone will have a spectrum containing a maximum amount of energy in the lower frequencies. The mass and stiffness of the rings 261 is such that they will excite the cone 232 predominantly in frequencies below 2,000 c.p.s. with suicient higher frequencies to maintain acoustical balance simultaneously with a high acoustical level. It has been found that rings having a W16 O.D. by 1716 I.D. by 1/4 inch thickness and which are made of an acetal resin possess a satisfactory mass and stiffness. Generally, any nonmetallic material having a modulus of elasticity between 50,000 and 400,000 p.s.i., is satisfactory. Polyethylene and polypropylene materials lie within this range.

The impeller 256i is rotated by a drive means 270 which includes a first gear means 271 mounted on the rear axle 223 of the vehicle 220 and a second gear means 277 mounted on the spindle 251 of the impeller 250. The second gear means 277 is engaged with the first gear means 271. The first gear means 271 includes a cup gear 272 which is mounted on the rear axle by engaging its central sleeve 273 with a knurled portion 274 of the rear axle 223. The second gear means 277 is produced by forming a gear 273 out of the lower portion of the spindle 251 adjacent its lower end 253. The gear 27S is engaged with the teeth 275 of the cup gear 272. The drive means 270 also includes a iiywheel 279 which is coaxially mounted on the disc 256 of the impeller 250 and forms the connection between the disc 256 and the spindle 251 of the impeller 250.

The operation of the motor sound device 230` of the toy vehicle 220 of FIGURES 12-16 is very simple but yet achieves sounds closely corresponding to the sounds of an internal combustion motor. When the toy vehicle 220 is moved along a surface with its wheels 222 and 224 engaged therewith, the wheels 224 rotate the axle 223. The axle 223 in turn rotates the cup gear 272, the gear 278 and thereby rotates the disc 256 of the impeller 250. The rotation of the impeller 250 extends the rings 261 of the lugs 260 so that they strike the bridge 240. However, when striking the bridge 240, because the rings 261 are loosely mounted on pivot pins 262, they immediately retract after striking the bridge 240 so that the impact or Contact therewith is essentially instantaneous. Also, since the bridge is substantially restrained from sliding parallel to the resonator 231 because the ends 243 of the strip 241 are near the bottoms 244 of the grooves 242, the bridge 240 is moved by the impact of the lugs 260 solely substantially perpendicular `to the resonator and thereby strikes the apex plug 235 of the cone 232. Thecone 232 in turn emits when struck by the bridge 240 a low-pitched sound in a regular cycle depending on the placement and configuration of the lugs 260 on the impeller so that the sounds produced closely correspond to the sounds of an internal combustion motor. The flywheel 279 of the second embodiment of the present invention constitutes an energy storage device which continues to drive the impeller 250 after pushing of the vehicle 220 has been stopped.

While the particular devices for simulating motor sounds herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are in- .tended to be details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for simulating motor -sounds comprising:

resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency and being adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an external combustion engine when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation;

a rotary member rotatably mounted adjacent said resonator means, said rotary member including radially extending striker means for subjecting said resonator means to said repetitive shock-excitation, said rotary member including a small, diameter gear and a large-diameter gear;

a friction clutch member rotatably mounted adjacent said rotary member, said clutch member including a small diameter gear engaging said large diameter gear on said rotary member, whereby said clutch is rotated by said rotary member, said clutch including resilient finger means extending radially from its axis of rotation;

a flywheel member having a spindle on which said clutch member is rotatably mounted, said iiywheel member including a flange engageable by said re silient finger means for slipping engagement therewith when said clutch is accelerated by said rotary member, said ywheel member including lug means provided on said liange for engagement by s-aid finger means whereby said clutch member will become locked to said flywheel member after said clutch member reaches its maximum acceleration;

a crank gear rotatably mounted adjacent said rotary member, said crank gear having a large diameter gear engageable with the small-diameter gear on said rotary member for rotating said rotary member, said crank gear being rotatably and slidably mounted in an elongated slot and including a small-diameter gear;

a manually operable sector gear having teeth engaging said small-diameter gear on said crank gear;

a crank lever connected to said sector gear for rotating it to impart rotation to said crank gear, rotation of said crank gear in one direction causing said crank vgear to move to one end of said slot in such a manner that it is brought into driving engagement with said rotary member and rotation of said crank gear in another direction causing it to be released from said driving engagement by moving to the other end of said slot; and

transfer means mounted between said resonator means and said rotary member for transferring shockexcitation from said rotary member to said resonator means.

2. A device for selectively simulating motor sounds and siren sounds comprising:

resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency and being adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an internal combustion engine when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation in a first operating mode and to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by a siren when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation in another operating mode;

a rotary member rotatably mounted adjacent said resonator means, said rotary member including a first set of radially extending grooves for shock-exciting said resonator means in said first operating mode and a second set of radially extending grooves for subjecting said resonator means to said repetitive shockexcitation in said other operating mode, said rotary member including a small-diameter gear and a large-diameter gear;

a friction clutch member rotatably mounted adjacent said rotary member, said clutch member including a small diameter gear engaging said large diameter gear on said rotary member, whereby said clutch is rotated by said rotary member, said clutch including resilient finger means extending radially from its axis of rotation;

a flywheel member having a spindle on which said clutch member is rotatably mounted, said fiywheel member including a fiange engageable by said resilient finger means for slipping engagement therewith when said clutch is accelerated by said rotary member, said flywheel member including lug means provided on said flange for engagement by said finger means, whereby said clutch member will become locked to said flywheel member after said clutch member reaches its maximum acceleration;

a crank gear rotatably mounted adjacent said rotary member, said crank gear having a large diameter gear engageable with the small-diameter gear on said rotary member for rotating said rotary member, said crank gear being rotatably and slidably mounted in an elongated slot and including a small-diameter gear;

a manually operable sector gear having teeth engaging said small-diameter gear on said crank gear;

a crank lever connected to said sector gear for rotating it to impart rotation to said crank gear, rotation of said crank gear in one direction causing said 13 crank gear to move to one end of said slot in such a manner that it is brought into driving engagement with said rotary member and rotation of said crank gear in another direction causing it to be released peller means including a small-diameter gear, said manually-actuated gear means including a crank gear train operatively connected to said small-diameter gear for imparting rotation to from said driving engagement by moving to the said impeller means, said crank gear train inother end of said slot; and Y cluding a rotatable sector gear having a crank transfer means mounted between said resonator means lever attached thereto, whereby said impeller and said rotary member for transferring shock-exmeans may be rotated by swinging sald lever citation 'from said rotary' member to said resonator in a first'direction, said manually-actuated gear means.` means also including means for disconnecting 3. A device for producing sounds simulating the sounds produced by an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a non-metallic resonator means having a low-pitched direction.

natural frequency and being adapted to produce a 8. A device for producing sounds simulating the sounds noise simulating the noise produced by an internal 15 produced by an internal combustion engine, comprising: combustion engine when subjected to repetitive shockresonator means having a ilow-pitched natural freexcitation; quency and being adapted to produce a noise simumeans freely movable rela-tive to said resonator for lating the noise produced by an internal combusimpacting said resonator means to impart repetitive tion engine when subjected to repetitive shock-eX- shock-excitation thereto, said impacting means incitation; cludingimpeller means for moving the same and havimpeller means for subjecting said resonator means ing first gear means provided thereon, said impactto repetitive shock excitation, said impeller means ing means also including manually-actuated gear having gear means provided thereon; means operatively connected to said first gear means manually-actuated gear means operatively connected on said impeller means for operating said impe'ller 25 to said -gear means on said impeller means for opmeans; erating said impeller means; flywheel means rotatably mounted adjacent said ima tone arm engageable with said impeller means and peller means; and said resonator means for transferring repetitive second gear means connecting said flywheel means to shocks from said impeller means to said resonator said impeller means for giving uniform motion t0 30 means, said tone arm including a first end engagesaid crank gear train from said small-diameter gear when said lever is swung in the opposite said impeller means upon operation of said impeller means by said manually actuated gear means, said fiywheel means storing momentum for continuing the operation of said impeller means after operaable with said impe'ller means and a second end, said -second end including a stirrup portion, said tone arm also including a swingable adjusting lever and means pivotally connecting said stirrup portion to tion of said manually-actuated gear means has been terminated.

4. A device as stated in claim 3 wherein said resonator means has a mass within a range of approximately 0.1 gram to approximately l0() grams and a stiffness Within a range of approximately l04 to l08 dynes per centimeter. 40

5. A toy sound device comprising:

resonator means adapted to emit a sound when shockexcited; a rotary member rotatably mounted adjacent said resonator means, said rotary member having non-uniformly spaced substantially V-shaped, radially extending grooves provided on the surface thereof, each of said grooves including a leading edge defining a shoulder extending Iabruptly downwardly from said surface to a base portion and a valley portion sloping upwardly from -said base portion to said surfa-ce downstream of said leading edge, said grooves being progressively deeper from their radially outer ends to their inner edges; and

transfer means operatively connecting said resonator means t-o said rotary member for transferring shock-excitation from said grooves to said resonator means.

6. A device as stated in claim 5 wherein the radial position of said transfer means relative to said rotary membe-r is adjustable, whereby the impulse of said shockexcitation is varied over a wide range.

7. A device vfor producing sounds simulating the sounds produced by an internal combustion engine, comprising:

non-metallic resonator means having a dow-pitched natural frequency and being adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an internal combustion engine when .subjected to repetitive shock-excitation; and

said swingable adjusting lever, whereby the radial position of said first end may be changed by swinging said lever while said first end remains free to pivot on said stirrup portion; and a piston member slidably connected to said resonator means, said piston member engaging said tone arm adjacent said first end for subjecting said resonator means to said repetitive shock-excitation by transferring impulses received by said tone arm from said impeller means to said yresonator means through said piston member. 9. A device for selectively producing sounds simulating the sounds produced by an internal combustion engine and by a siren, respectively, comprising:

resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency and being adapted to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by an internal combustion engine when subjected to repetitive-shock-exoitation in a first operating mode and to produce a noise simulating the noise produced by a siren when -subjected to repetitive shock-excitation in a second operating mode; impeller means for subjecting said resonator means to repetitive shock-excitation, said impeller means having gear means provided thereon;

manually-actuated gear means operatively connected to said gear means on said impeller means for operating said impeller means; and

transfer means operatively associating said impeller means with said resonator means for transferring repetitive shocks from said impeller means to said resonator means, said impeller means comprising a rotary member having a surface provided thereon which is engageable by said transfer means, said means for subjecting said resonator means to rotary member being provided with obstruction repetitive shock-excitation, said subjecting means means for imparting cyclical shocks to said transfer including impeller means having gear means means as it rides over said surface during rotation provided thereon, said subjecting means also in- 0f Said rotary member, Sad ObSfUCiOH means 00mcluding manually-actuated gear means operaprising a first set of closely-spaced, radially extendtively connected to said gear means on said ing obstructions for shock exciting said resonator impeller means, said gear means `on said immeans in said second mode and a second set of 15 Widely-spaced radially extending obstructions for shock-exciting said resonator means in said rst mode, said transfer means being movable from one set of obstructions to the Iother set of obstructions for selecting one 0f said operating modes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,524 4/1916 Overholt 116-143 X 1,416,452

16 2,400,818 5/1946 Gallagher 192-46 3,064,389 11/1962 Lemelson 46-192 3,190,034 6/1965 Ryan 46-111 OTHER REFERENCES Product Engineering: vol. 221, Issue No. 11, November 1950, p. 148 relied on.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

5/1922 Cowey 116 143 X 10 LOUIS I. BOVASSO, Exammer. 

3. A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING SOUNDS SIMULATING THE SOUNDS PRODUCED BY AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, COMPRISING: A NON-METALLIC RESONATOR MEANS HAVING A LOW-PITCHED NATURAL FREQUENCY AND BEING ADAPTED TO PRODUCE A NOISE SIMULATING THE NOISE PRODUCED BY AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WHEN SUBJECTED TO REPETITIVE SHOCKEXCITATION; MEANS FREELY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID RESONATOR FOR IMPACTING SAID RESONATOR MEANS TO IMPART REPETITIVE SHOCK-EXCITATION THERETO, SAID IMPACTING MEANS INCLUDING IMPELLER MEANS FOR MOVING THE SAME AND HAVING FIRST GEAR MEANS PROVIDED THEREON, SAID IMPACTING MEANS ALSO INCLUDING MANUALLY-ACTUATED GEAR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST GEAR MEANS ON SAID IMPELLER MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID IMPELLER MEANS; FLYWHEEL MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID IMPELLER MEANS; AND SECOND GEAR MEANS CONNECTING SAID FLYWHEEL MEANS TO SAID IMPELLER MEANS FOR GIVING UNIFORM MOTION TO SAID IMPELLER MEANS UPON OPERATION OF SAID IMPELLER MEANS BY SAID MANUALLY ACTUATED GEAR MEANS, SAID FLYWHEEL MEANS STORING MOMENTUM FOR CONTINUING THE OPERATION OF SAID IMPELLER MEANS AFTER OPERATION OF SAID MANUALLY-ACTUATED GEAR MEANS HAS BEEN TERMINATED. 